Seasons of a Bellflower
by paynesgrey
Summary: This is a freeverse poem that evokes the life of Kikyou and her relationship with Inuyasha throughout the course of the manga. InuyashaKikyou centric.


**Seasons of a Bellflower**

Somewhere a corpse  
full of magic, full of chaos  
spits out her destiny –  
into a pink glass ball

She is a simple village girl – no more

power flickers in her blood  
tickles her bones and makes her cold hands  
luke-warm

it glows  
and harbors an ominous fate

the fate of someone who loses her womanhood  
but gains respect

in this time, she knows  
the two are not interchangeable

Destiny becomes vindictive  
but she knows what she must do –  
she is a woman without love  
and miko of duty – a protector and preserver  
of Life.

She watches children play and grow  
and as arrows fly to slay  
she protects their innocence once more  
and over and over again

Under her magic – an unconditional love  
of Life – she is the catalyst  
so husbands and wives can be  
mothers and fathers – and  
grandmothers and grandfathers  
and their children can be husbands and wives  
someday – just the same

The seasons revolve on –  
her actions, her strength  
her purity is the proof that life can go on

She takes in the pain meant for them  
her tired arrows, her drops of blood, her scars, her tears  
are the blankets of their peace  
the monsters mean them cruelty  
she stands to defy them, to embrace them

she is a priestess meant for peace –  
a hero that weighs all suffering  
unto her own

and she tries not to mind it  
but –

--------

The moment she stumbled unto Gold  
the woman inside her  
shivered

awake

and she meant nothing  
for the rest of her life  
but to be alone – to be misunderstood

to have nothing so that others could have  
_something  
_  
But his yellow eyes, his silver hair  
his sorrow – his loneliness  
she wanted to save  
just for herself

she thought that maybe –  
he could save her  
too

it sickened her, grasped her  
delighted her in ways she'd never let  
herself enjoy

She could change them – make it  
better  
and she could bring them  
together

she would hand him her pink glass fate  
and grant him a wish  
the purest  
dream

'Be with me. We can be something.  
We won't be alone.

We'll be together.'

Love was timid, unsure, new, some other kind  
of holy - something  
fresh and easy

to be betrayed

She called his name, in love  
in desire  
in happiness  
in confidence

in anger

Her blood was shed  
And she wondered if she could  
trust  
ever again  
in the next life

someone who had claws.

'You betrayed me.'

And she burned in death, restless  
morose

and destiny burned within her  
and became someone else's

the truth of lies was  
500 years  
Away

Into a rewound fate  
a weave of time that had frayed  
haphazardly  
she had to weave it back together  
all on her own

Alone

-------

Even though she was alive  
she was not really human  
she wasn't really the same  
either  
but, she was still herself

no partial soul could cheapen her  
with that

Even though _he_ was alive

too  
he was still not very human  
he wasn't the same either  
his loyalty shaken

Love was fickle  
it drew away for something  
shiny and  
familiar  
but new

'You choose her over me?'

A carbon copy of her missing youth  
a sliver of the peace  
she never earned

--------

Somewhere in her false life  
she was still a saint  
she was still a hero to many

she died and was risen again  
to blanket the peace of husbands and wives  
and of children

Darkness continued to be tucked away  
Truths were gray  
Revenge was stagnant

In this life her duty  
was clear  
and it would not be for  
a man  
nor for his love

Her destiny had always been  
caught  
in a spider's web

Her purity would be  
the scythe to free her  
to save them all

to put many souls to  
rest  
to teach a young girl to  
inherit  
her will, her magic, her fortitude  
her journey

it would not be a journey  
that would truly end  
but she - would

as a woman  
in his arms  
her legacy - a waiting whisper  
a simmering power in the wake

And she would rise again  
to meet them  
to love him  
to help her

And to take her one true  
betrayer  
with her

To hell

And a pure  
pink jewel fades  
and up come their smiles  
their resolve  
her vengeance

And she will be remembered  
as  
the miko who gave them  
purity  
and peace and strength  
that came from  
the unwavering  
deep

All of them, even him, will  
remember Kikyou  
by the drying  
of their tears.

END


End file.
